Editorial | Hong Kong’s MTR upgrade alert arrives ahead of time
- Passengers have no excuse to be unaware of 28-hour shutdown of four Hong Kong railway stations for cable work in late July
Transport maintenance headaches face many communities around the world, but Hong Kong commuters have been relatively fortunate regarding such disruptions. That reliability must continue as the railway operator prepares for a late July shutdown during the first extensive equipment upgrade in its 45-year history.
The MTR Corporation has announced plans to suspend services at Prince Edward, Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei and Ho Man Tin stations for 28 hours on July 28. Workers must replace 50 large metal hangers used for more than 40 years to hold power cables in tunnels spanning the affected stations.
The job is more complex than regular daily repairs and maintenance, which are normally done within a “golden window” of two hours per night after trains finish for the day.
The corporation said the shutdown will take place on a Sunday, at a time of the year when many of its passengers are on holiday. The upgrade will be postponed by a week if there is severe weather.
Detailed planning for contingencies is welcome in a city that relies heavily on its rail system. There are understandable concerns about whether the MTR Corp can complete its upgrade within a day.
The operation will require electricity supplies to be turned off. Passengers on affected lines will need to pay close attention to directions on how services elsewhere are running. Some will have to change in different locations, choose alternative routes, or use free buses during the works.